Bubble Buddies
by SaoirseParisa
Summary: I didn't think there would ever be a light at the end of the tunnel. No, I had extinguished that light before it could ever shine. Now it was back, and shining so bright, I couldn't see. I found a friend. Maybe we can be bubble buddies, since we both like bubbles. (A one-shot about Popplio, because he needs more love!)
**Bubble Buddies** \- a Popplio fan fic

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My first memory was being able to swim around in Professor Hala's pond. I had that pond all to myself. Every day, I would swim and play to my heart's content. Sometimes I would even blow big bubbles out of my nose and try to use them to fly. Of course, they would pop and I would plop to the ground. After all, we Popplio are known for being silly but endearing. They were right. I was silly. I liked to tell jokes and play around and blow bubbles out of my nose.

But other than that...nobody liked me. I mean, all the Rowlets before me always liked watching me blow bubbles and sometimes even wanting to be stuck inside them. All the Littens before me always ignored me and did whatever they wanted all by themselves. I didn't mind. But...whenever humans would come by and pick their first friend, we would all be excited. Every time humans came, I begged and prayed and put on a bunch of silly performances, whether it be doing back flips or doing tricks with my bubbles, all so they could pick me.

Nobody did. It was always either Rowlet or Litten. I'd come into the lab with sparkling eyes and big smiles, only for my heart to be shattered into pieces as I'd watch all the Rowlets and Littens before me be carried off to bright futures. Nobody would ever pick me. I would always tell myself, it wasn't all bad. Somebody would come by and pick you sometime. It won't be now, but maybe in the future. I had always lived every day, clinging to that hope, no matter how small it would get.

However, my hopes would always be shattered, especially when I would try to beg new trainers to pick me. I'd do everything. I'd do backflips and front flips, and there were times when I did slip and fall, and that always made them laugh. I would always try to laugh it off, as they were laughing too...but it actually hurt. They weren't laughing because they found me funny. They were laughing because I failed and looked so stupid.

Most trainers who came by always had mean things to say to me.

"That thing looks so stupid!"

"You're not cute at all! Go away!"

"My Litten's way cooler than you!"

"No, sweetie. Pick Rowlet or Litten. That creature is so terribly mischievous."

"I don't want my daughter to have that Pokemon."

"No way! I'd die before I'd ever choose a Popplio!"

"Why would I pick Popplio? I want a Litten right now!"

"Nobody wants a Popplio. Rowlet and Litten are way cooler!"

Their words would always strike right through me, like an arrow hitting a target right in the bullseye. Every day, after the painful rejections, I would return to the pond and cry all by myself, where nobody would see me. I didn't want anyone to see me cry, but it was hard. I couldn't contain my sadness. Every day, I would be rejected over and over again, and even though I had been used to it, it always hurt every single time. I couldn't understand. What was it about me that nobody liked? Did I do something wrong? Am I really as stupid looking as they say? Am I ugly? Stupid? Worthless? Good for nothing?

I didn't want to be alone. I had big dreams I wanted to fulfill. One time, Professor Hala took us Pokemon to a region close to Alola called Kalos. He wanted to watch something called a Pokemon Showcase and watch Pokemon Performers. As soon as the spotlights shone down on trainers and their Pokemon, I was entranced. I saw trainers and Pokemon working together, using attacks to make a show, trainers and Pokemon running around, dancing, leaping, jumping, floating, helping each other out, and using their attacks in ways I had no idea were possible. The crowds would roar in applause, their hands clapping so hard their palms would sting. Even I couldn't help but clap my fins whenever a performance would end, I would be so entranced that I wouldn't notice anything else around me.

That was when my dream was born. I wanted to be in Pokemon Showcases! I wanted to make bubbles with my nose and bounce on them, do backflips and frontflips, jump around, dance like no one was watching, and make everyone who watched me smile or laugh. I wanted to travel and see new places and new Pokemon. I wanted to put on shows and do tricks and make audiences worldwide smile and enjoy whatever I would display. I wanted to make bubbles and bounce on them and use them to make my performances dazzle the audience.

But I was sure that dream was destroyed before I even had a chance to cultivate it. If nobody wanted to pick me, a Popplio, then what was the point of even chasing that dream? Besides, most trainers nowadays wanted to battle these places called gyms, participate in the Pokemon League, and try to defeat the champion, whoever that was. I was never real good at battles. Whenever I would battle all the Rowlets and Littens, I would always lose, which was especially bad when I would battle Littens, because I'm a water type and water was strong against fire types. Still, even Littens would beat me. But I didn't mind not being good at battles. I liked performing better. Even after so many months, nobody would pick me, all because they either wanted Rowlets or Littens or thought I looked ugly or stupid.

It always hurt so bad. The loneliness was absolutely suffocating. Even though I'm a water type Pokemon, I would always feel like I was drowning, being pulled down to the bottom, my lungs burning from the pain. Smothering me. Drowning me. Devouring me with its crushing claws. I wasn't sure if I could go on like this. I even stopped praying and just cried.

Someone...someone help...please...help me...be my friend...I don't want to be alone…

Then, one day, Arceus seemed to hear me, as my prayers had been answered one cloudy morning.

It started off as a normal day, like usual. There were new Rowlets and Littens being brought into the lab. Once again, we would be presented to a new trainer with the hopes that we would be their friend forever. I used to look forward to these days, but after a lifetime of continual rejection, I didn't even bother to smile. I just looked down, away from everyone's eyes. I already figured that I wasn't going to be picked no matter what.

Curiosity got the better of me as I peeked out the door. Oddly enough, I saw two people come into the lab, a woman and a young girl, instead of the usual one trainer. I already assumed that the girl was going to be the trainer who would pick either Rowlet or Litten. She looked to be about eleven or twelve, with black hair stretching down to her shoulders, with the curled ends bouncing every time she walked. Resting on her head was an odd pink hat with the top part resembling either a flower or a piece of coral. Her light skin contrasted with her dark hair, but her purple eyes were sparkling like jewels. She was wearing a pale yellow shirt with the bottom part tied into a hasty ribbon, turquoise green shorts, and red and black sneakers. Both the girl and the older woman, I assumed she was her mother, sat down on some chairs.

I could hear Professor Hala's sandals scraping the floor as he walked, and I hid behind the door, taking care not to make a sound. I even squeezed my eyes shut, allowing my floppy ears to pick up on the conversations going on in the next room.

"Hello! You must be Mrs. Lincoln. It's so nice to meet you."

"Likewise. This is my daughter, Mikelle."

"Hello, Professor!" I could hear a sweet, cheerful voice come right out of the girl's mouth. She sounded nice.

"Hello, Mikelle. I take it you're here to get a Pokemon?"

"Yep! I got my trainer's license in the mail!"

"I'm glad you're excited, dearie," Professor Hala sounds happy. "I just need to talk to your mother for a while, then I can show you what Pokemon we have."

"Okay!"

I heard footsteps walking away. On impulse, I found myself pushing the door outward and crawling into the next room. I don't know why I did that, but it would soon be the best decision I ever made. As soon as I heard my tail slap the floor beneath me, Mikelle's head whipped around. I looked up, and we made eye contact. I was frozen as I watched her jaw drop rather ungracefully. Soon, that wide open mouth morphed into a smile as she suddenly stood up from the chair and walked right up to me, kneeling downward so we could meet at eye level.

"Awwwww!" She crooned, her purple eyes glimmering. "You're sooooo cute!" Before I could comprehend what was going on, she used her hands to pick me right up and pull me into a hug. To say I was shocked would be an understatement. Nobody I met had ever done this to me before. Whenever anyone would see me, they would look at me with either scorn, disgust, or contempt. She was the first person who was ever happy to see me.

"...bwark?" I barked without meaning to.

"I heard Popplio were cute, but you're even cuter in person!" Mikelle squealed, her cheeks turning pink from smiling so much.

My heart turned warm, and I found myself speechless. She called me cute. The only person who ever called me that in my life was Professor Hala, and she only just met me. Again. on impulse, I found myself nuzzling her face with my own. Her cheeks were soft and warm.

"Heehee! Thank you!" Mikelle giggled the moment our skin touched. "You're so sweet!"

The more we talked, the more enamored I was with her. Even more so when I noticed a green bottle next to her. Obviously, since the label was written in human letters, I couldn't read it even if I wanted to. But I saw pictures of round blue spheres on it. I recognized them immediately, they were bubbles. I couldn't resist. I looked up and used my pink nose to make a huge bubble pop right out, inflating it with every breath I exhaled. Soon, the bubble got so big, it was bigger than Mikelle's head.

"Wow…" Mikelle just stared at the big bubble I made, completely starry eyed. "You like bubbles? Me too!" She unscrewed the cap on the bottle, dipped some stick inside it, and blew on it.

With a gentle breath, a bubble was born. It didn't grow any bigger than my nose, but it was still so beautiful. I could see the light from the fluorescent lights forming little rainbow-like ripples as it danced on the air. I found myself bending over just to watch it float aimlessly. I bent so far, I fell out of the girl's arm, though I did manage to catch myself and land right on my tail with no effort. Mikelle put the bottle away and clapped at my efforts.

The bubble popped just as fast.

"Not only are you cute, but funny, too!" Mikelle squealed, her smile bright as a sunflower.

It was here that Professor Hala and Mikelle's mother came back into the room. The two of them turned to face me, finally noticing my presence. "Huh. Looks like Popplio's gotten impatient," Professor Hala noted.

I was so lost in my thoughts that I didn't see Mikelle stand up. "Mom! Please? Can I have this Popplio as my first Pokemon?"

Hearing those words was like music to my ears. It was as though angels had come down from Heaven, finally answering my prayers. My eyes snapped open and my jaw fell rather ungracefully. I was sure my ears were playing tricks on me. But they weren't. Did she just say...she wanted me?

Mikelle's mother crossed her arms. "Will you take good care of it?"

"Of course I will! I'll do anything!"

The mother smiled before turning to Professor Hala. "Is that alright, Professor?"

"I don't see why not," He kneeled down to my level. "You've waited a long time, Popplio."

Yes, I have. He has no idea how long I've waited for this day. Waiting, waiting...for someone to like me, see me, and want me as their friend. Soon, Mikelle picked me back up.

"Looks like we're gonna be best friends forever, Popplio!" Mikelle exclaimed, her cheeks turning a rosy pink. "We'll have a great time together!"

I didn't think there would ever be a light at the end of the tunnel. No, I had extinguished that light before it could ever shine. Now it was back, and shining so bright, I couldn't see. I didn't hesitate. I threw my fins around Mikelle's neck and cried into her shirt. Finally, someone saved me from my seemingly eternal loneliness. No, it wasn't eternal. She was that light, and she brought my loneliness to an end. I had found what I had always wanted: a human trainer, a friend whom I can cherish, and who will love me.

Thank you, Mikelle. Thank you for loving me. I know I'll be the best friend you'll ever have. We can be bubble buddies, since we both like bubbles.

It's a promise.

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 **So...yeah, the Sun and Moon starters are revealed, and poor sweet baby Popplio got the short end of the stick. It's a pity, because I think he's an adorable little snuggly sea lion! But I do like the other starters, too. I wrote this fan fic because of a bout of inspiration and because I felt bad for Popplio. Yeah, this is based on that old web comic someone drew about Oshawott called Same Colors (which is very good), but instead of colors, it involves bubbles. Because BUCKING BUBBLES!**

 **Hope you enjoyed this stupid little one-shot!**


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